Boy's U.S. Open winner Sock a perfect fit for Djokovic

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Jack Sock became the first American since Andy Roddick ten years ago to win the boys’ title at the U.S. Open on Sunday and could yet play a role in deciding the winner of the men’s final.

Sock has twice played with Novak Djokovic on the practice courts at Flushing Meadows, most recently on Saturday ahead of the Serbian’s epic five-set semi-final victory against Roger Federer.

Following that match and his Open triumph, Sock revealed Djokovic’s coaching team thanked him for his part in the shock win over Roger Federer in Saturday’s semi-final.

“I was happy for him as he’s playing very well, that was a great win for him,” said Sock, who turns 18 later this month. “I didn’t see him after the match yesterday but I saw his coaches and they said ‘great job, way to go.’”

Unseeded Sock, who is still in school and brought homework with him to New York, dropped the first set in the all-American showdown with Denis Kudla before winning 3-6 6-2 6-2.

Sock later played down the expectations of the American media and public, who have already tagged him as one of the game’s next great players.

“I’m practicing hard and working hard and I hope to be in the American tennis spotlight and hopefully I can get to that level one day but I just don’t know,” said the teenager.

The girls’ final was a far more one-sided affair as Daria Gavrilova comfortably beat fellow Russian and close friend Yulia Putintseva 6-3 6-2.

The pair first played each other eight years ago and train together at the Mouratoglou Tennis Academy on the outskirts of Paris that has helped produce the likes of Marcos Baghdatis and Paul-Henri Mathieu.

Gavrilova’s win marked a remarkable year for the number one seed, who won gold last month at the Youth Olympics and intends to focus more heavily on the professional ranks next season.

“I slept so bad during the night. I woke up like 10 times and I was thinking - I think I played like in my dreams my match like 10 times,” she said before admitting that she had not always come out on top in her dreams.